Wednesday, February 15, 2012

At least that is what the newspapers in the country recently proclaimed. But in
a society where the government-owned mainstream media are increasingly
distrusted, could social media outlets actually be better connecting Malaysians
to society, each other and…politics?

“Social media outlets have been the biggest factor in changing the face of
politics in Malaysia and how information is spread,” Angela* of Kuala Lumpur
said.

Following
the 2008 general election, the ruling party,
which had relied on traditional media forms since it came to power in 1957,
lost a sizable majority in parliament to the media-savvy opposition. According
to Anil Netto, a
Penang-based independent writer, the ruling party felt that they were being
left behind in social media following the election.

“The current government’s traditional communication means of television, radio
and print still have an advantage in rural areas where Internet usage is not as
high, but not in the urban centers,” Netto said.

Anil Netto

“Fewer and fewer people are
relying on mainstream media and newspapers. In local universities, people have
stopped reading newspapers for Facebook and Twitter.”

Recognizing this fact, Prime Minister Najib Razak’s created 1Malaysia, a site
intended to provide a “free and open forum.” The website promotes video
responses to viewer questions and a discussion forum called the “Roundtable,”
which was created to allow locals, regardless of location, profession or age,
to provide “fair and constructive comments, suggestions or ideas to better the
life of Malaysians.” Many, however, treat politicians’ personal social media
pages like a second form of government-run media.

“People are wary of politicians online because you don’t know if they are being
sincere. Their Facebook and blog posts do not affect me much because it feels
like another form of propaganda,” retired teacher Halimah Ashari said.

Still, the Prime Minister has just under one million fans on Facebook and
receives thousands of “likes” and hundreds of comments each time he posts.

“It seems as if the Prime Minister, or more likely his team, gets back to
questions asked, and for that reason, I think he deserves some credit for
taking the time to respond,” digital media manager Alwin Chan said. “It use to
be difficult to reach politicians in the past, and now with direct connection,
you can.”

Before the Internet, citizens had little chance to speak out because the
government controlled the media. According to Netto, social media allows
Malaysians to give their views and to see others who share those views.

“It’s good to see that you’re not alone on such critical matters as politics,”
Netto said. “With avenues like Twitter and Facebook, people feel as if their
views matter.”

Not only are Malaysians more able to share views online, but also, they are
more willing. According to cross-cultural development consultant and Universiti
Putra lecturer Asma Abdullah, Malaysia is a high contact culture. This means
people are often very indirect and subtle, and rarely talk about real issues in
the foreground. In this type of culture, social media is vital because it
allows people to be more direct or bold than they might be in person.

“Social media allows us to give our views about politics, whether for or
against. People feel as if they can say what they want because they are
faceless,” Ashari said.

“I respond on blogs, saying whatever I like, and I am not afraid of the consequences.”Although social media gives a more confident voice to Malaysians, it can also
lead to problems in such a diverse country.

“Along with the country’s many races, ethnicities and religions come many
sensitivities. When it comes to being critical online in this country, a
concern is intercultural conflict when one group does not like something
another group has said,” Abdullah said.

Although Chan doesn’t believe that social media has improved or worsened race
relations, he has felt the effects of faceless hatred. After four or five years
of running peacefully, SeksualitiMerdeka – an annual sexuality rights festival
held in Kuala Lumpur – was shut down by authorities and attacked by social
media users.

Seksualiti

“Because of social media, it blew up and people were commenting and saying very
nasty things that surprised me,” Chan said. “That was really eye-opening to me
that people in my country would say these things and hide behind a nickname.”Not surprisingly, Malaysian politicians are also targets for ridicule online.
Independent newspaper The Malaysian Insiderrecently reported that Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, president of
uni-racial political party Malaysian Chinese Association, scolds citizens and
youth for “using the Internet as an avenue to abuse national leaders.”“[They] must understand that people are entitled to a difference of opinion and
if they are the very people who talk about democracy and freedom of expression,
they should not be rubbishing others,” Dr. Chua, who has about 130,000
followers on Facebook, told The Malaysian
Insider. According to Chan, Dr. Chua is naive to think people will not rubbish him
because “it’s just a part of social media.”

“It does take a mature nation and mature users to be responsible and share
valuable comments. However, comments that are silly are very easy to spot, and
most people can spot and disregard them,” Chan said.

For better or worse, the relationship between Malaysian politics and social
media has just begun. With a general election in the near future, politicians
will utilize the tool or be left behind, and citizens will work to influence
others through the outlet.

According to lecturer Asma Abdullah, if nothing else, these outlets will give
each Malaysian the opportunity to have a voice.

“That’s the power of social media – even those who are introverts can
communicate because it is as if you are talking to not people, but a machine.”
Abdullah added: “It certainly has changed the way we look at an issue and how
we express our ides openly. I may not have an audience, but I can always talk
to my PC.”

*Name
withheld at the request of the source.

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The purpose of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Connect Camps is to invest in the next generation of African leaders through intensive executive leadership training, networking, and skills building, which will prepare them to make social change in their communities. The core Ohio University team working jointly with The Collaboratory at the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has designed a program for the YALI participants called Connect Camps taking place in sub-Saharan Africa to pursue the following goals:

1) Give up to 160 young African leaders the opportunity to collaborate, learn, and network with U.S. and African resource experts and with each other during the eight YALI Connect Camps; to develop innovation strategies that build on their professional skills, engage in hands-on experience with low-bandwidth technologies, conduct community outreach, and buildtheir capacity through mentoring, networking, and using strategic civic leadership for social change.

2) Use a stimulating canvas model of leadership to develop skills in entrepreneurship and creating social change by engaging in five-days of facilitated interactive sub-group workshops, and fostering mentorship relationships between the Mandela WashingtonFellow alumni and their chosen mentees for the Camp.

3) Demonstrate some community-oriented enterprises using applied technology that supports innovation and collaboration in community development and entrepreneurship, civic leadership, and public management.

4) Develop leadership skills among delegates through mentoring relationships, between themselves, as well as with American and African facilitators.

5) Provide participants with opportunities for face-to-face networking and to facilitate a collaborative, innovative project or projects that further YALI goals.

Various U.S. Embassies in Africa have been instrumental in the selection and coordination of hosting the Connect Camps. The YALI Connect Camps are funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute for International Journalism (IIJ) at Ohio University.